What is one thing that you can do that will increase your child’s school success for years to come? Being involved with their school! Here are some ways to do just that:
Build the habit of talking about school with your child.
The sooner you get your child used to telling you about their day, the better; don’t wait until you feel like you are pulling teeth to get your teens to open up! Start the habit in kindergarten. Being able to recall and narrate their experiences is a skill that takes children time and practice to develop. And extra bonus points: this is also an early reading skill. Check out this post about ways to find out what’s going on during your child’s day.
Get involved with homework.
In addition to giving insight into your child’s schooling, this has many benefits in supporting your child’s school success. Learn more about that here.
Stay in touch with your child’s teacher.
Whether you’re super busy yourself, wanting to not burden the teacher with requests, or have had negative experiences as a student with school staff, don’t wait for teachers to reach out. Yes, teachers are very busy, and often stressed, but they also want you to be involved and in-the-know about your child’s school experiences! They also want what is best for your child. So if your child needs some extra help and support, having a relationship with their teacher, or even just being on the teacher’s radar as a parent who is open to communication, can be important to your child’s school experience.
Be your child’s advocate.
ou may suspect, or know, that your child may benefit from some extra supports and services to help their success in the classroom. Even if you feel a little nervous doing it, you can advocate for those supports. Check out our tips on how to do that.
Get involved with their school by volunteering.
Volunteering is a great way to both find out what’s happening at school and show your kids how important you think school is. This could look like many things, either inside the school, outside the school, or attending open houses and conferences. Here are some ideas for what volunteering at your child’s school could look like.
Join a school group like your local PTA/PTO.
Aren’t they the same thing? Get to know the difference and which one may be the best fit for you, as well as the benefits of joining with the information in this post.
Whether you look into a few of the above or all of them, know that getting involved with your child’s school and education for the long run is one of the most important things you can do to set them up for success. And also remember that it is important to find something that is manageable and even enjoyable for you. This will help you to stay involved for many years to come.
